Aarti आरती f Hindi, MarathiFrom the name of a Hindu ritual in which offerings of lamps or candles are made to various gods, derived from Sanskrit
आरात्रिक (ārātrika).
Aditi अदिति f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, KannadaMeans
"boundless, entire" or
"freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix
अ (a) and
दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Agni 1 अग्नि m Hinduism, HindiMeans
"fire" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Vedic Hindu fire god, typically depicted as red-skinned with three legs, seven arms, and two faces, and riding on the back of a ram.
Amit 1 अमित m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliFrom Sanskrit
अमित (amita) meaning
"immeasurable, infinite".
Amitabh अमिताभ m HindiFrom Sanskrit
अमिताभ (amitābha) meaning
"immeasurable splendour". A famous bearer is Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan (1942-).
Amrit अमृत m HindiMeans
"immortal" from Sanskrit
अ (a) meaning "not" and
मृत (mṛta) meaning "dead". In Hindu texts it refers to a drink that gives immortality.
Anil अनिल m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, NepaliDerived from Sanskrit
अनिल (anila) meaning
"air, wind".
Anima 1 अणिमा f HindiMeans
"minuteness" from Sanskrit
अणिमन (aṇiman). In yoga texts, this is the name of the ability to make oneself infinitely small so to be invisible.
Anish अनीश m Hindi, MarathiMeans
"supreme, paramount, without a ruler", from the Sanskrit negative prefix
अ (a) and
ईश (īśa) meaning "ruler, lord".
Anisha अनिशा f HindiMeans
"nightless, sleepless" in Sanskrit.
Anjana अंजना f & m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Malayalam, Tamil, HinduismMeans
"kohl, collyrium" in Sanskrit, referring to a black powder traditionally used as an eyeliner. This is a transcription from Sanskrit of both the feminine form
अञ्जना (long final vowel) and the masculine form
अञ्जन (short final vowel). The feminine form appears in the Hindu epic the
Ramayana belonging to the mother of
Hanuman. The modern masculine form is
Anjan.
Anuj अनुज m Hindi, MarathiFrom Sanskrit
अनुज (anuja) meaning
"born later, younger". This name is sometimes given to the younger sibling of an older child.
Aruna अरुणा m & f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, HindiMeans
"reddish brown, dawn" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Aruna (
अरुण) is the charioteer who drives the sun god
Surya across the sky. The modern feminine form
अरुणा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as
Aruna, however the modern masculine form is
Arun.
Arundhati अरुन्धती, अरुंधती f Hinduism, HindiThe name of a star (also called Alcor), which was named after a type of climbing plant, meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief it is the name of the sage
Vasishtha's wife, who is identified with the star.
Arushi अरुषी, आरुषी, आरुषि f Hinduism, HindiFrom Sanskrit
अरुष (aruṣa) meaning
"reddish, dawn", a word used in the
Rigveda to describe the red horses of
Agni. According to some traditions this was the name of the wife of the legendary sage Chyavana.
Arya 1 आर्य, आर्या m & f Persian, Hindi, MalayalamFrom an old Indo-Iranian root meaning "Aryan, noble". In India, this is a transcription of both the masculine form
आर्य and the feminine form
आर्या. In Iran it is only a masculine name.
Avanti अवन्ती f HindiFrom the name of an ancient kingdom of central India that had its capital at Ujjain.
Bahadur बहादुर m Hindi, NepaliFrom Persian
بهادر (bahādor), itself from Turkic
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior". This was the name of rulers of the Mughal Empire.
Chanda चण्डा f & m Hinduism, HindiMeans
"fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess
Durga) and the masculine form
चण्ड (the name of a demon).
Chandra चन्द्र, चन्द्रा m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, NepaliMeans
"moon" in Sanskrit, derived from
चन्द (cand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of both the masculine form
चण्ड (the god of the moon personified) as well as the feminine form
चण्डा (spelled with a long final vowel).
Dayaram दयाराम m HindiMeans
"compassion of Rama", from Sanskrit
दया (dayā) meaning "compassion" combined with the name of the god
Rama 1.
Deepak दीपक m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliAlternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali
दीपक, Bengali
দীপক, Gujarati
દીપક, Gurmukhi
ਦੀਪਕ, Malayalam
ദീപക്, Kannada
ದೀಪಕ್, Tamil
தீபக் or Telugu
దీపక్ (see
Dipak).
Devika देविका f HindiMeans
"little goddess" from Sanskrit
देवी (devī) meaning "goddess" and
क (ka) meaning "little".
Diksha दीक्षा f HindiMeans
"preparation for a religious ceremony" in Sanskrit.
Dinesh दिनेश m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Nepali, SinhaleseModern form of
Dinesha.
Durga दुर्गा f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, TeluguMeans
"unattainable, unassailable" in Sanskrit. Durga is a Hindu warrior goddess, usually depicted with multiple arms and riding on the back of a lion or tiger. The Puranas relate that she came into being to combat the buffalo demon Mahishasura. She is sometimes considered a fierce aspect of
Parvati the wife of
Shiva. In Shaktism she is viewed as a principal aspect of the supreme goddess
Mahadevi.
Esha एषा f HindiMeans
"desire, wish" in Sanskrit.
Ganga गंगा f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, TeluguFrom Sanskrit
गङ्गा (Gaṅgā), the name of the
Ganges River, derived from
गम् (gam) meaning "to go". In Hindu tradition this is a personification of the river, typically depicted as a fair-skinned goddess riding a sea creature. As a given name, it is used by males as well.
Gargi गार्गी f Hinduism, Hindi, BengaliMeaning unknown. This was the name of a 7th-century BC Indian philosopher who appears in the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.
Gauri गौरी f Hinduism, Hindi, MarathiDerived from Sanskrit
गौर (gaura) meaning
"white, pale, yellow". This is a Hindu goddess, another name of
Parvati the wife of
Shiva, so named because of her fair complexion.
Gayatri गायत्री f Hinduism, Marathi, HindiFrom Sanskrit
गायत्र (gāyatra), which refers to a type of hymn or song with a particular meter, derived from
गै (gai) meaning "to sing". The original hymm, also called the
Savitri, is in the
Rigveda and is a dedication to the sun god
Savitr. As a goddess, Gayatri is a personification of this hymn. She is identified with
Saraswati.
Hari हरि m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, NepaliMeans
"brown, yellow, tawny" in Sanskrit, and by extension
"monkey, horse, lion". This is another name of the Hindu god
Vishnu, and sometimes of his avatar
Krishna. In this context it is sometimes considered a derivative of Sanskrit
हृ (hṛ) meaning "to take away", referring to the removal of sins.
Ila इला f HindiMeans
"earth" or
"speech" in Sanskrit.
Indra इन्द्र, इंद्र m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, IndonesianMeans
"possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit
इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and
र (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain, frequently depicted riding the elephant Airavata. He is the chief god in the
Rigveda.
Indrajit इन्द्रजित, इंद्रजित, इन्द्रजीत, इंद्रजीत m Hinduism, Bengali, HindiMeans
"conqueror of Indra" from the name of the god
Indra combined with Sanskrit
जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering". In the Hindu epic the
Ramayana this is another name of
Meghanada, the son of
Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. He was given this name by
Brahma after he defeated
Indra.
Indrani इन्द्राणी, इंद्राणी f Hinduism, Bengali, HindiMeans
"wife of Indra" in Sanskrit. This is a Vedic Hindu goddess who is the wife of
Indra. She is associated with beauty and jealousy.
Indu इन्दु f HindiMeans
"bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.
Isha ईशा f & m Hindi, Marathi, HinduismMeans
"master, lord, ruler" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
ईशा and the masculine form
ईश (an epithet of the Hindu god
Shiva). It is also the name of one of the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.
Ishani इशानी f HindiMeans
"ruling, possessing" in Sanskrit.
Jaya जया f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, MarathiDerived from Sanskrit
जय (jaya) meaning
"victory". In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form
जया (long final vowel) and the masculine form
जय (short final vowel), both of which are used as names or epithets for several characters in Hindu texts. As a modern personal name, this transcription is both feminine and masculine in southern India, but typically only feminine in the north.
Jayendra जयेन्द्र, जयेंद्र m HindiMeans
"lord of victory" from Sanskrit
जय (jaya) meaning "victory" combined with the name of the god
Indra, used here to mean "lord".
Kailash कैलाश m Hindi, MarathiFrom the name of a mountain in the Himalayas that is believed to be the paradise of the Hindu god
Shiva. It is probably derived from Sanskrit
केलास (kelāsa) meaning "crystal".
Kamala कमला f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, NepaliMeans
"lotus" or
"pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form
कमला and the masculine form
कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. In Tantric Hinduism and Shaktism this is the name of a goddess, also identified with the goddess
Lakshmi.
Kanta कान्ता, कान्त f & m Hindi, BengaliFrom Sanskrit
कान्त (kānta) meaning
"desired, beautiful". The feminine form has a long final vowel, while in the masculine form it is short.
Kashi काशी f HindiFrom the name of a holy city in India, famous for its many temples dedicated to the Hindu god
Shiva. Its name is derived from Sanskrit
काशि (kāśi) meaning "shining".
Kaveri कावेरी f HindiFrom the name of the Kaveri River in southern India.
Kavi कवि m HindiFrom a title for a poet, meaning
"wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.
Khushi खुशी f HindiMeans
"happiness" in Hindi, ultimately from Persian
خوشی (khūshī).
Kirtida कीर्तिदा f HindiMeans
"one who bestows fame" in Sanskrit.
Krishna कृष्ण m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, NepaliDerived from Sanskrit
कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) meaning
"black, dark". This is the name of a Hindu deity believed to be an incarnation of the god
Vishnu. According to the
Mahabharata and the Puranas he was the youngest of King
Vasudeva's eight sons by
Devaki, six of whom were killed by King Kamsa because of a prophecy that a child of Vasudeva would kill Kamsa. However, Krishna and his brother
Balarama were saved and he eventually fulfilled the prophecy by slaying the evil king. He then helped the Pandavas defeat the Kauravas in the Mahabharata War. His philosophical conversation with the Pandava leader
Arjuna forms the text of the important Hindu scripture the
Bhagavad Gita.
... [more] Kumar कुमार m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, NepaliModern form of
Kumara.
Lakshmi लक्ष्मी f & m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, OdiaMeans
"sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of
Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.
Lal लाल m Hindi, NepaliMeans
"boy" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit
लल (lala) meaning "playing, caressing".
Lalita ललिता f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, ThaiMeans
"playful, charming, desirable" in Sanskrit. According to the Puranas this was the name of one of the gopis, who were milkmaids devoted to the young
Krishna. Additionally, in Shaktism, this is the name of a goddess who is also called Tripura Sundari.
Lila 1 लीला f HindiMeans
"play, amusement" in Sanskrit.
Lina 3 लीना f HindiMeans
"absorbed, united" in Sanskrit.
Lucky लकी m & f English, HindiFrom a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Mahendra महेन्द्र, महेंद्र m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, SanskritFrom Sanskrit
महा (mahā) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god
Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor
Ashoka, also called
Mahinda. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Mala माला f HindiMeans
"necklace" in Sanskrit.
Manu 1 मनु m Hinduism, Hindi, KannadaMeans
"thinking, wise" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is a title of Swayambhuva, the progenitor of the human race, as well as several of his descendants.
Mitra 1 मित्र, मित्रा m & f Hinduism, HindiMeans
"friend" in Sanskrit, a cognate of
Mithra. This is the name of a Vedic god (
मित्र) who is associated with friendship and contracts and is frequently paired with the god
Varuna. The feminine form
मित्रा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as
Mitra.
Mohandas मोहनदास m HindiMeans
"servant of Mohana" from the name of the Hindu god
Mohana (an epithet of
Krishna) combined with Sanskrit
दास (dāsa) meaning "servant". A famous bearer of this name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian leader who struggled peacefully for independence from Britain.
Mohini मोहिनी f Hinduism, Hindi, MarathiMeans
"perplexing, enchanting" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a beautiful female avatar of the Hindu god
Vishnu, a form he took in order to trick the asuras (demons) into relinquishing the amrita (elixir of immortality).
Mridula मृदुला f HindiFrom Sanskrit
मृदु (mṛdu) meaning
"soft, delicate, gentle".
Mukul मुकुल m HindiMeans
"bud, blossom" in Sanskrit.